Grab-bucket



A. F. CASE.

GRAB BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED him/15.1919.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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A-PPHCATION FILED MAY 15. I919.

Patented Feb. 12,1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Max; @vflm A. F. CASE.

GRAB BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15, 1919.

1,331,455. Patented Feb. 17,1920.

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GRAB BUCKET. APPLICATION FILED MAY '5. 1919.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

7e flw gfiwm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR E. cAsE, or CLEVELAND, onic, ASSIGNOR TO THE wEELMAn-sEAvEE-MORGAN COMPANY, or CLEVELAND, 01110, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

GRAB-BUCKET.

Application filed May 15, 1919.

To all whom it may concern.

Be itknown that I, ARTHUR F. CASE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Grab-Buckets, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to grab buckets especially of the clam shelltype, and has for its principal object the provision of a bucketconstruction which is more efiicient, more durable, and moresatisfactory in operation than prior devices of this kind.

More specific objects are to house the jaw or shell operating mechanismin such a manner that the likelihood of abrasion by sand and the like isminimized; to reduce the number of operative parts and weight, and atthe same time to provide increased digging power; to provide a housingfor the operating parts formed in two halves and consisting preferablyof two similar steel castings which when bolted together not onlyeffectively incloses the parts to the exclusion of abrasive material,but forms a rigid support therefor, the design of the housing and of theoperating parts inclosed thereby, being such as to readily lend itselfto production on a quantity basis.

till further the invention aims to provide a construction wherein thereis great rigidity resulting in maintenance of alinement of the jaws orshells, and one requiring little head room as compared with otherbuckets of equal capacity, and a comparatively small amount of rope toclose and open the bucket which nevertheless is constructed to have awide swing and reach of the jaws or shells. Still further the inventionaims to provide a construction wherein there is a low center of gravitywhen the bucket is in open position, producing stability when the bucketis resting on the material.

The invention may be briefly summarized as consisting in certain noveldetails of construction, and combinations and arrangements of partswhich will be described in the specification and set forth in theappended claims.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein I have shown thepreferred em-. bodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1'7, 1920.

Serial No. 297,260.

side view of the bucket with parts broken away, and with the shells orjaws shown by dotted lines in open position; Fig. 2 is an end view ofthe same; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same; Fig. 4 is a horizontalsectional view substantially along the line 4el of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is asectional view through the top of the housing substantially along theline 55 of Fig. 2; F igs. 6 and 7 are respectively a side view and atop'edge view of one side or half Of-the housing; and Fig. 8 shows thetwo halves of the housing with one half in end elevation and one half insection.

The shells or jaws 10, 1.0, of thebucket may be of usual construction,these shells being supported through the medium of two sets of armsincluding a set of relatively short arms 11 which have their lower endsconnected to cross shafts 12 mounted in castings 13 at the upper outercorners of the shells and their upper ends fitted onto the squared endsof the transverse shaft 14 mounted and operated as hereinafterdescribed, and two sets of relatively long arms 15, which at their lowerends are connected to the inner side portions of the jaws as shown at16, and at their upper ends are connected by pins 17 mounted in cars 18projecting from the upper central part of a housing 19, forming one ofthe important parts of the invention.

In the major portion of the prior buckets, particularly those ofconsiderable capacity, the operating parts, that is to say, the partswhich operate the shells, are supported in a built up structure which ismore or less .open, and which has the disadvantage of high cost ofproduction and the objection that it does not exclude sand, dirt and thelike, and also lacks sufiicient rigidity to maintain the jaws inalinement.

In the present construction, however, all the operating parts except thearms 11, are supported and housed in the housing 19 consisting of twoparts only, which are preferably steel castings, the two partsconsisting of two similar or counterpart halves 19 and 19 boltedtogether by bolts 20 passing through flanges 21 at the meeting edges ofthe two halves. the meeting faces of the two halves being in a planeparallel to the plane of movement of the shells or jaws.

The housing 19 contains three main compartments including a middlecompartment ing, and two relatively narrow end compartments 23, 23,these compartments being separated from the middle compartment bytransverse walls or partitions 2a which are formed in both halves of thehousing, In the upper part of the middle compartment orin asub-compartment 22 leading therefrom are supported two. guide sheaves25, 25, for the opening and closing ropes shown at 26, 26, in, Fig. 1,these guide sheaves being supported on pins each mounted in one thehalves of the hous ing as shown in Fig. 2, and below the guide sheavesin the middle compartment 22, is a drum 27, with a relatively largeflagged portion 27"" for the closing rope and a relatively smallflange-d portion 2'1" for the opening rope.

It will be observed that the drum 2''? is at right angles to: the planeof movement of the jaws, and therefore at right angles to the meetingfaces of the two halves of the housing. In other words, the axis of thedrum and drum shaft is parallel to the plane of movement of the jaws.This drum is secured to a shaft or center 28 adapted to turn in bearingbushin'g in bearings 30 on the two parallel walls or partitions whichseparate the middle compartment :22 from the end compartments 23, thebearings 30 being formed half in one half of the housing and half in theother half ot the housing, and these bearing halves are bolted to getherby bolts 31, which go through the narrow portions of the housing onopposite sides of the enlarged middle portion forming the middlecompartment 22.

It might be mentioned at this point that the right angle position of thedrum with respeet tothe plane of movement of the shells oi thepositioning of the drum and drum shaft with the axis thereof parallel tosuch plane of increment is important inasmuch as it is a factor in theattaiunientot fe'a tures of compactness and solidarity, and permits thenumber of operating parts to be reduced to a minimum, while at thesametnne these operatingjparts and the support therefor can be made insuch mechanical form that maintenance of alinement of the jaws at alltimes is possible.

7 The drum 27 is secured to the. middle of the shaft or center 28, andon the extreme ends of, this shaft and'formed integral therewith are twobevel pmions 32 which engage bevel gear segments 33, secured to the twomitting maximum power multiplication for a given diameter of drum, andproviding great digging power in the shellswit'hout requiring a drum anda housing of excessive size. I

"The ends of the shafts let project beyond the sides of the narrowportions ofthe housing, and they are squared as before.stated and havefitted thereon the ends of the operating arms 11. These arms 11 aremaintained on the squared portions. of the shafts by bolts 35 whiclrpasspartly through the ends of the arms 11 and partly through the squaredportions of the shafts. V

The middle compartment 9-2, that is to say the drum c'on'lpa-rtm'entwill have one or more hand h'olds 22 to permit the closing and openingropes to be suitably reeved about the drum and sheave, which ropes willhave their ends secured to the drum, and after passing one or more timesin opposite directions around the closing and opening portions 27 and 27respectively,'these ropes pass part way around the guide sheaves andthen out tl'rrough openings 36 at the upper middle portion ofthehoi'ising, these openings being formed in a two-part cover '36 the partsof which meet or engage along the line of junction of the two parts ofthe housing, which cover can be removed to insert the ropes and for theremoval or the sheaves 25 without taking apart the housin the parts orthe cover being bolted together and also to the upper part of thehousing. This cover has rope guards 36 cast integral with it, whichguards extend part way around the sheaves. However, the gearcompartments 23 are wholly closed against the ingress of sand or otherforeign particles which in prior buckets reduced the life of theoperating parts due to their abrasive action. The extreme ends of thegear compait'ment -23 hare normally closed openings 37 for theapplication of lubricant, but these openings are at all times, exceptwhen the lubricant is being applied; closed by plates 38 held by screwsto the end portions of the twoh'alvcs 'o't'gthe housing on oppositesides of the plane of the meeting faces of the halves of the housing. I

The inner sides of the two halves of the housing are provided in theportions forni ing the gear compartments 23 with horizontally andvertically extending ribs or flanges 39 and 40 (see Figs. 4, 6 and '7)and in the portions forming the middle compartment they are provided onthe transverse walls with arc-shaped ribs or flanges Hand 42, which inaddition to strengtheningthe housing, serveas rope guards, the rib ll onone side of the compartment overlying the outer flange of the openingportion TZZ of the drum, and the rib -12 on the opposite wall of thecompartment 22 overlyingthe outer flange of the closing portion 27* asiio iis

will be seen by reference to Fig. 1. Likewise directly opposite themiddle flange of the drum 27, thereis an arc-shaped Web 43 ofsubstantial V-shape projecting inwardly from each half of the housing(see Fig. 8). The two webs 43 on the two halves of the housing encirclethe upper half of the drum, and these also serve as rope guards for theclosing portion of the drum. these webs 43 merge into horizontal V-shaped webs it (see Figs. 2, 7 and 8).

The housing and operating parts are very easily assembled, it being onlynecessary to lay one-half of the housing down. on the assembling floorwith the open side up, lay the drum 27 and shaft 28 in the halves of thebearings provided therefor in this half of the housing, to insert theoperating shafts 14, and then fit the other half of the housing intoplace, and bolt the two halves of the housing together.

To open the bucket, by pulling on the opening rope which extends aroundthe smaller portion 27 of the drum and at the same time easing up on theclosing rope, the drum and drum shaft are turned in'a direction such asto'turn the jaw operating shafts let so as to swing the jaws to theposition shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. This movement of the drumwinds the opening rope on the relatively large flanged portion 27 of thedrum, it being understood that the movement of the drum and drum shaftis transmittedby the bevel gearing 32 and 33, so as to rotate the shafts14c in opposite directions and that the movement is trans mitted fromthese shafts 14 to the jaws of the bucket by the arms 11, the swingingmovement thus imparted to these arms causing the jaws to be swung to thepositions stated.

Toclose the bucket pull is exerted on the closing rope which turns thedrumand drum shaft in the reverse direction causing the jaws to be swungfrom the dotted line position to the full line position in Fig. 1.

It will be sufficient to state without repeating in detail the severaladvantages of the bucket, that with the construction above described,the objects and advantages enumerated at the beginning of thespecification are obtainedto a very high degree.

V\7l1ile I have shown only the preferred construction, it will be'apparent that changes may be made in details of construction andarrangement without affecting the principal features of the bucket, andI aim in my. claims to cover all modifications which do not involve adeparture from the spirit and scope of my invention in its broadestaspects.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a grab bucket, a pair of bucket jaws, a multi-compartment housingsupporting the jaws, an operating drum and drum shaft At the top mountedin the middle portion of the housing, shafts mounted in the housing andconnected with the drum shaft so as to be turned thereby, and armsconnecting the shafts to the jaws, the connecting means between the drumshaft and last mentioned shafts being in closed compartments of thehousing.

In a grab bucket, a pair of jaws, an operating shaft having its axissubstantially parallel to the plane of movement of the jaws, a pair ofshafts at right angles to the first mentioned shaft and connectedthereto so as to be operated by the same, means connecting said lastmentioned shafts to the jaws, and means for supporting said shafts.

3.7In a grab bucket, a housing having three compartments including amiddle compartment and two end compartments, a drum in the middlecompartment, a shaft carrying the drum, shafts extending through the endcompartments and connected to the first-named shaft, a pair of bucketjaws, and operating arms connecting the last men tioned shafts to thejaws.

4. In a grab bucket, a housing having three compartments including amiddle compartment and two end compartments, an operating drum mountedin the middle compartment and having a shaft projecting into the endcompartments, two shafts mounted in the end compartments at right anglesto the first mentioned shaft, gearing connecting the first mentionedshaft to the last mentioned shafts, arms connected to said shafts, and apair of bucket jaws supported from the housing and connected to saidarms.

5. In a grab bucket, a housing having three compartments including amiddle compartment and two end compartments, an operating drum mountedin the middle compartment and having a shaft projecting into the endcompartments, two shafts eX- tending through the walls of the endcompartments at right angles to the first mentioned shaft, earingcomiecting the first mentioned shaft to the last mentioned shafts, armsconnected to said shafts, and a pair of bucket jaws supported from thehousing and connected to said arms, said end compartments being closedand separated from the middle compartment.

6. In a grab bucket, a housing composed of two cast plates boltedtogether, and having transverse partitions dividing the interior intothree compartments, a drum in the middle compartment, a drum shaftsupported in said partitions and projecting into the end compartments, apair of shafts journaled in the walls of the end compartments, a pair ofbucket jaws, and arms connected to said last mentioned shafts and to thejaws.

7. In a grab bucket, a pair of bucket eluding a drum supported by thehousing with its axis 'parallel to the plane of movement of the aws, apair of shafts supported by the housing at right angles to the axis ofthe drum, said shafts being connected to the drum so as to be turnedthereby and being connected to the jawsso as to operate the same. j

8. In a grab bucket, a pair of jaws adapted to swing toward and fromeach other, a housing having transverse walls, bucket operating partssupported by said housing and comprising a drum with its axis paralleltothe plane of movement of the jaws'and having a shaft mounted in saidtransverse walls, a pair of shafts at right angles to the firstmentioned shaft and geared thereto, and operating arms connecting thejaws to the last mentioned shafts.

' 9. In a grab bucket, a pair of jaws-adapted to-swing toward and fromeach other, a-

housing composed of two members bolted together and having transversewalls forming compartments including a middle compartment and two endcon'lpartments, a drum having its axis substantially parallel to theplane of movement of the jaws, a shaft supporting the drum and mountedin said transverse walls, a pair of jaw operating ends project into theend portions of the housing, jaw operating shafts extending through thewalls of the end portions of the the housing 11. In a grab bucket,a-pair of jaws, a

housing having an enlarged middle portion and relatively narrowendportions, the end portions 'of the housing having two closedcompartments, a drum supported in the middle compartment with its axisparallel to the plane of movement of the jaws and having a supportingshaft whose'ends'project into the closed compartments, jaw operatingshafts ext-ending through the walls of the relatively narrow portions ofthe housing, gearing connecting the firstmentioned shaft to the lastmentioned shafts, said gearing being in the closed compartments, supporting arms connecting the jaws to the housing, and operating armsconnecting the jaws to the ends of said last mentioned shafts, saidhousing being formed of two recessed cast metal plates united at thecenter plane of 12. In a grab bucket, a pair of bucket jaws adapted toswing toward and from each other, a housing inclosing bucket oper-.ating parts including a drum at the middle portion of the housing, withits axis parallel to the plane of movement of the jaws, a drum shaftsupporting the same, a pair of jaw operating shafts rotatably supportedby the housing on opposite sides of the drum, operating arms connectingthe jaws to said last mentioned shafts, a power multiplying gearingbetween the first mentioned shafts and the last mentioned shafts andincluding pinions formed integral with the first mentioned shaft. I

In testimony whereof,'I- hereunto afli x my signature. 7 v

ARTHUR F. oAsE.

